Window-shade roller



Patented `lune 17, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l AMS L- HART, O13" SAFETY HAB-BOB, FLORIDA,

WINDOW-SHADE ROLLER.

Application led September 13, 1921. Serial No. 500,311,

To @ZZ 'whom t may conce/m:

Be it known that I, AMos L. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Safety Harbor, in the county of Pinellas and State roller. i

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shade roller including a clutch element of novel design,and of an adjustable nature to compensate for wear incident to use. I

A further object of the yinvention is the provision of a shade roller device vof the.

above described character, they details of which have been constructed in ,view of durability, and ease of operation.

Other objects and advantages willbe apil pai'entduring the course of the following.

detailed description.

In Vthe accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate corre spending parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 isa front elevation ofthe im-` proved shade controllilng'device, showing a shade inoperative attachment therewith.

F1gure'2is an enlarged Across sectional view of one end of the 'shade roller, show-i ingthe clutch mechanism thereon.

Figure 3 `is an enlarged cross sectional'` view of the end of the roller opposite tothe` j l outer circumferential surface, ofA casing `when' said plug 25 `is assembled thereto. The

end shown in Figure v2.

Figure 4 is an end elevation 'of the roller,`

showing certain details of the clutch mechanisin removed. f

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose'y of illustration is shown a preferred einbodiment of my invention, the, letter A v designates the improved shade control and of the shade-roller, extending for the en-` supporting device, including the y vnovel clutch mechanism' B; and shade supporting device C.' 1 j H The supporting rod 10 is provided, as part tire length thereof, and the body portion of which is circular in cross section, the ends thereof being flattened, on 'diametrically opposed sides thereof at 11, for reception within the hanger elements 12 of suitable bracket .structures 13, whereby the supporting rod 10 may be maintained` in stationary position. A roller casing 15 is provided, of metal, wood orany preferred material, the same being tubular information and havin'g the opposite ends thereof internally yscrew threaded, as `at'16 and 17. vA plug 18 is provided for attachment in the screw threaded end 17 of the roller 15, and includes a screw threaded shank port-ion 19 for engagement in detachable manner in the end 17, a head 20 being provided upon the plug 18, whereby` the exterior circumferential surface of said head may lie flush with the outer circumferential surface of the casing'15. In positionon the supporting rod 10, the circular body portion ofsaid rod 10 is axially extended through an aperture22 in the plug 18; the exterior end face 23 of the plug 18 contacting the annularly extending flangev 24, formed integral on the supporting rod 10, and whereby said plug 18 may be rotated'with respect to the ysupporting rod 10. Thus, an end portion of the supporting rod 10 having the flattened sides 11` thereon projects outwardly from the flange 24 and plug 18, for reception inthe bracket 13.1 f f Theclutch device B preferably includes a plug element 25 having an axial aperture 26 therethrough, whereby the sameis disposed over the circular portion of the rod 10 for rotation thereon. `The plug 25, moreover, includes the internally screw threaded'shank 27l for Vengagement inthe y internally screw threaded end 16 of casing 1.5, and having a head, 28, the circumferential surfacev .of 'which is adapted forilying flush with the plug l25 is the essential jaw element ofthe clutch B, and isL provided upon the end face l30 thereof with the teeth 31, which radiate in any approved mannery frointhe center' of the plug; the apexes of said teeth 31 being design as to conform to the flattened sidesv 11 of the supporting rod 10 and 4to permit relative slidingv longitudinally ofthe supporting rod 10'Y and on a flat end thereof;

and the member 35, however, being prevented from relative rotation upon the supporting rod 1'-, through conformity' of the aperture 36 to the` flattened sides 11. The outer circumference of the member 35 is struck from the same radius as that of the casing 15, and lies flush with the outer surface of saidcasingl 15. Thev side o'f the aw member 85 facing toward the toothed side 30 of plug 25, is provided with teeth 38 formed in radial manner thereon for cooperation with the teeth 31 of plug 25. A recess 39Vis provided inwardly from the end face of the jaw member 35, and extends annularly around the projecting end of the supporting rod 10, and for receiving a clutch spring a0. A washer or disc 41, is provided for reciprocation within the recess 39, and is of su'fiicient size t'o 't snugly therein for sliding movement, in order to compress the spring 40 under an initial compression. An aperture e3 is provi-ded, in the washer 41, for receiving the flat end of supporting rod 10. A cotter pin or other split pin e is provided, extending transversely through a suitable aperture in the {iattened end of the supporting rod 10, and normally bearing against the outer surface of the washer 11, to maintain the spring 110 under compression, whereby the aw member 35` is forced into engagement with the jaw plug 25, thereby holding the teeth 38 into engagement with the teeth 31.

A spiral main spring 17 is provided, eX- tending longitudinally through the interior of the roller casing 15, one end 18 of said main spring 47 being aHiXed transversely through an aperture 49 in the supporting rod and adjacent the attaching plug 18. The opposite end 50 of the spring 17 is bent outwardly, and seated within an aperture 51, whereby the locking screw Se serves a 'second purpose in bearing upon this end 50, and maintaining the main spring 117 in proper position in the casing 15,y and under an' 'roller 1'5`is properly wound thereabout, and

then pulled down in theordinary manner,

the casing will beV rotated relative to the supporting rod 10 and the main spring 47 placed under additional compression. The jaw member being forced by its spring 10 into engagement with the plug 25, Will, due to the cooperating series of teeth 38 and 31, hold the shade in a desired position against the compression in spring 17. The points of the teeth 38 and 31 have been rounded, whereby when the shade B is quickly released, said teeth will be moved relative on each other, for raising the shade B. As the teeth of the clutch device B become worn, the plug 25 maybe fed outwardly in desired position to cooperate with the compression on the: spring in providing an effective clutch structure.

Referring now to the shade clamping means C, the same mainly include a strip 55,

ar'euated in cross section for Athe entire length thereof, and greater in length than the width of shade, D, preferably projecting over the ends of the shade it is attached to arcuation of the strip 55, be formed on al radius which is less than the radius of the external surface of casing 15. Thus, when the strip is'kplaced over the casing 15, the-entren'ie ends 56 thereof will contact the sides of said casing or roller A throughout Similarly, the 'opposite endr thestrp 55 is provided with a lslotted aperture eX- tending longitudinally in the central portion 57 thereof, and adapted for receiving an adjusting screw 61,- whereby said adjusting Screw 61 may be inserted therethrough and into an aperture inthe head portion 28- of the plug 25, substantially as indicated in Figure 2 ot the drawings,4

In applying the shade D to the improved roller appliance A,v theV same is wrapped about the casing' 15' for a complete turn. The strip 55 is next placed in the manner above described onto the device A, whereby the eXtreme longitudinal edges 56 of said strip 55 frictionally engage the portion of shade D, which is wrapped about thev roller A. Upon adjustment ofthe screws 59 and (il, the Strip 55 Will'be diSt'lt-ed tO fOTce the longitudinal edges 56 into clamping engage ment with the roller A and whereby' the shade D will be frictionallyv clamped throughout its length by said edges 56. Attendon is directed tothe fact that the width of the shade D is such that the marginal lthe shade roller A. It is preferred, that the Y edges thereof fall within the space between the adjusting screws 59 and 61, as can be readily seen from Figure 1 of the drawings, thereby preventing any attaching elements from tearing or puncturing shade D.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrtngement of parts, may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, comprising in combination a supporting rod, a tubular casing, detachable plugs in each end of said casing rotatably supporting said casing about said supporting rod, a clutch member on said supporting rod non-rotatable thereon but slidable longitudinally thereof to engage one of said plugs, spring means normally forcing said clutch member into engagement with said plug, and a main spring in said roller casing connecting said rod and one of said plug members. n

2. A device of the class described, comprising in combination a supporting rod circular in cross section and having diametrically opposed flattened surfaces upon each end thereof, a tubular casing being internally screw threaded on each end, a plug detachably mounted in oneend for rotation about said rod, a plug detachably and adjustably mounted in the other end of said casing and rotatable about said rod, a screw connecting said roller casing and said last mentioned plug for positive adjustment of said plug and casing, said plug having teeth formed on the outer end 'face thereof, a

clutch jaw slidably and non-rotatably mounted upon the flattened end of said supporting rod and having teeth for cooperation with the teeth on said last mentioned plug, a spring means within ysaid clutch aw for normally forcing the same into engagement with said adJustable plug, said rod when mounted in assembled position having the flattened ends thereof projecting outwardly whereby the rod may be supported in stationary position.

3. A window shade fixture comprising a supporting rod, a roller for rotatable mounting upon said rod so that the ends ofthe rod extend outwardly of the roller, spring means normally tending to maintain the roller in one position upon the rod, means at one end of the rod preventing theroller from moving endwise off the rod, and clutch means at the other end of the roller including a clutch part longitudinally slidable upon said rod and non-rotatable thereon having a pocket therein, a washer slidable on said'rod and normally within the pocket of said clutch part, any abutment rigid with said rod against which said washer bears exteriorly of the pocket of said clutch part, and a spring compressed within the pocket of said clutch part acting uponsaid clutch part and against said washer, whereby the clutch part is frictionally held in engagement with its adjacent end of the roller, said spring acting longitudinally upon the roller to normally force the same axially of the rod upon which it is positioned.

AMOS L. HART. 

